


Hunger

by M0xi3



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Blood and Gore, Cannibalism, F/F, Heavy profanity, Third Person The Rest, first person first chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-18 01:21:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16107815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M0xi3/pseuds/M0xi3
Summary: Mr. Grizz delivered an offer Pearl could not bring herself to refuse. Sadly, she'd greatly regret her choice.Their hunger was so great.





	1. A Disturbing Confession

Has guilt ever overwhelmed you to the point that you feel naught but the desire to scream it aloud to the heavens and to any who may hear? That is how I feel every day as of late. Never before have I felt such a wreck; a raging whirlpool of emotions that I cannot force back into obscurity. The wrath of a god boils inside me and I cannot handle it. I must dispense to you the information I have kept bundled up so tightly. I do not know all of the details of this story, I must admit; lest I feel more guilt for my own dishonesty. I am forced to extrapolate to my best ability what I am unaware of. 

Thinking of what I put those poor souls through fills me with such nauseating feelings. My stomach churns like an ocean in the midst of a vile storm. The bile rises into my throat slowly and steadily like a band of marching infantrymen. Let this be a warning to you (my confidant) that what lies ahead is bloodshed in its most primal state. The acts of consumption that we as sentient entities fear. The sickening intensities of violence that one could never imagine possible. ‘Tis a disturbing and foul route down which these words shall tread. 

But without further ado, I must begin with my confession. My name is Charles Seymour Phineas Holden. The peasants refer to me as “Mr. Grizz.” I am the owner of Grizzco, a fine business that operates in the Salmon Run sector. We collect and distribute Power Eggs, as you most likely would know. The business also participates in less...savory trades, so to speak. We modify some of those inane Turf War weapons for much more useful purposes. We may also engage in some trafficking of a less...morally sound variety. Do not despise me for what I do. I merely struggle to make a living like the rest of us.

I am responsible for the disappearance of three young women. Marina Ida and Pearl Hime, the duo known to the public as Off the Hook, and Callie Cuttlefish, one half of the Squid Sisters. Pearl was the one who I enticed into her own capture. The rambunctious hooligan deserved what she got, in my opinion, though that does not make it any less gruesome. Marina and Callie were but her cohorts, partners in crime. They followed in the shadow of their slimy associate and fell from the cliffs of rampant desire into their own extermination. Their greed was their own downfall. I may have been the one to dispense the offer, but it was their fault for accepting. In all honesty, I must say that I should not feel guilt for their stupidity. Yet somehow it tugs at the back of my mind.

My associates who engaged in the sadistic action were a group of filthy Salmonids. They live out farther than where most Salmon Runs take place. They are equivalent to the country bumpkins that inhabit Inkopolis at this date. Their kind don’t belong out here, but we must indulge them. These Salmonids do make good fodder, gathered so tightly in this backwoods home of theirs. So every now and then I send out little hunting parties, and in exchange for the purges of their numbers that occur I compensate them with great amounts of currency and food. The last time however, they desired something I could not easily hand over.

Cephalopod flesh was what they desired. They had not eaten it in so long. I could not turn them down, being a respectable man. They are my comrades after all. They earned whatever they asked for, as a working man does. I can relate greatly to their plight. One man’s struggle is another’s. They specifically asked for youth, those with the tastiest flesh. They specified an age range, between seventeen and twenty-three. I talked with their leader over the phone. His voice was deep and raspy, one that commanded authority yet showed the tenderness and wiseness of an old veteran. He was polite to me, and his demands were not extreme. As a respectable man, as I have mentioned before, I could not turn down such kindness. 

So I contacted Pearl Hime and gave her a job. Her lustful voice echoed from my phone speaker. I could hear her lips moist with greed. I offered her a plentiful bounty to slaughter my associates in great number and she did not hesitate in her agreement. Oh how pitiful she was, ready to murder for such little profit. She offered to bring along her two friends. I felt a great weight on my hearts as I agreed for them to come along. I could not believe her selfishness. Her willingness to bring her friends into danger. The monstrous little thing, with her black hearts. May God have mercy on her soul.

Oh poor Marina Ida and Callie Cuttlefish! Their pure souls tainted by Pearl’s ego! If only their bodies had been found, so I could have prayed at their altars! How might I tell them how sad I feel for them? How could they know that I feel nothing but sorrow for their ends? Lo and behold me as the pitiful pawn in this sadistic game of chess! Forced into a dangerous affair I could not avoid! I could not have avoided this outcome! No chance was given to me to stop this! If only there had been an option to prevent those three wonderful young ladies from going to their doom! Pearl, you poor soul, if only I could have stopped your innocent self from going on your journey to demise! 

I can tell you are getting antsy. You wish to know this story immediately. Fine, I shall indulge you. Are you prepared? Art thou in a state of mental capacity necessary for such a grisly tale? Well then, let us proceed. As I must remind you, do not judge me. I am a respectable man, who could not avoid this horrid outcome. These pitiful young women, too pure for this world. I pray for them. Now, let us begin.


	2. Indulgence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl gets an interesting call from Mr. Grizz.

Pearl woke up to the loud vibrations of her cell phone. She turned to grab the device off of her bedside table. The number was one she recognized, the local kingpin Mr. Grizz. She sighed. His voice was grating to her ears, but he’d just keep calling if she didn’t answer. With a swift tap, she answered the call and put the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” Pearl greeted Grizz groggily. He took a moment to respond, breathing heavily on the other end. It sent a chill down Pearl’s spine, but she toughed it out. 

“Hey there, little one.” Grizz responded. “I have a nice...job suggestion for you.”

“O-okay?” Pearl shrugged. She glanced at a nearby clock. It was three in the morning. Who has the nerve to call at three in the morning?

“There’s a special place I want you to go.” Grizz audibly licked his lips and let out a soft laugh. “Do you want to know about it, hon?”

“Um...sure?” Pearl climbed out of bed and walked out to the living room. She didn’t want to wake up Marina, and she knew this call was going to last a while. 

“There’s a little Salmon Run stage that normally can’t be accessed during the day. Salmonids as far as the eye can see. But they’re docile. They just let you take their lives and their precious little power eggs. Like they crave death.” Grizz gulped, a tone of ecstacy in his voice. Pearl shuddered. She did not like talking to this man one-on-one. He had an air of perversion to him at all times. His voice was demented. There was a sickening desire buried underneath all of his words.

“So like, do you want me to go there or something?” Pearl asked, sitting down on the couch. She picked up the tv remote and turned it on, flipping through different channels as she waited for Grizz to answer. He went back to breathing heavily into the microphone, but otherwise silent. She could just imagine the drool dribbling from his mouth and moving down his chin, maybe even flowing down to his neck. 

“Well, I wouldn’t want to worry you,” Grizz stated, “but I have great faith that you can do this job better than anyone.” 

“Why exactly do you think I can do this?” Pearl crossed her legs and stared at the tv, trying to partially drown Grizz from her thoughts. “You called me an ‘eggless shorty’ last time I went on a shift.” 

“Well you didn’t collect any eggs. So you were short and eggless. Hence ‘eggless shorty.’” 

“I was on a Salmon Run by myself, dude.” Pearl argued. “I got splatted almost immediately by a goddamn smallfry.”

“Oh yes. A smallfry. How strong of you.” Grizz hacked violently, before Pearl heard the sound of him spitting something out. Pearl almost gagged at the sound. He had no tact whatsoever, Pearl thought.

“If you want me to go on a Salmon Run, you have to let me bring some people along.”

“Ah yes!” Grizz made a sound of excitement. “The more the merrier, I always say!”

“Okay.”

“Well, I have to get going. I have some...obligations to attend to.” Grizz chuckled. “You know how it is being a bigwig.”

“Not really. My parents are the bigwigs. I just kind of mooch off their money.”

“At least you’re honest. Oh before I go, when you get to the Salmon Run stage, an associate of mine will be waiting for you.”

“An associate?”

“Yeah! His name is Harnell. I’ve done business with him for a long time,” Grizz explained. “He’s very reliable. You’ll be welcomed in no time.”

“Why is he there?” Pearl questioned.

“Oh, he lives on the stage itself. He keeps tabs on the Salmonid density for me. When you get there it will be all clear, and you should be able to make contact with Harnell. He’s just dying to meet you.”

“He’s not like, one of your creepy employees is he? I wasn’t too fond of your last ‘associate’ I had to meet up with.”

“Oh you mean Joshua? What’s wrong with Joshua?”

“He tried to bite me,” Pearl said in a monotone voice.

“Hey, you just caught him on an off day. Normally he’s a swell guy.”

“He called me a bitch when I didn’t let him bite me.”

“Maybe you should have let him bite you.” Grizz laughed heartily.

“Haha, how about you just go already?”

“I do have to be at a meeting in ten minutes.” 

“Then go to your fucking meeting,” Pearl growled.

“Okay, okay! Just make sure to be at the dock at two o’clock sharp in the afternoon.”

“Noted.”

“Bye bye!” Grizz audibly slammed the phone down on the receiver before the call cut out.

Pearl dragged her hand down her face. She did not have the energy for this. Why did she agree? Maybe she just wanted Grizz to hang up faster. She could just not show up. But Grizz had door-to-door salesmen all over the place. He’d probably send one of them to check in on her.

“Pearlie? Are you up?” Marina walked into the living room. She was still in her nightgown and she was rubbing one of her eyes. “Who are you talking to?”

“Grizz called me. The creepy fucker couldn’t wait until morning, apparently,” Pearl said. “I hate when he does this. This isn’t even the first time! He wants me to go on a Salmon Run tomorrow, and I agreed without thinking. I know we’re supposed to go on a date tomorrow but I think I have to-”

“I’ll come with you!” Marina exclaimed. “As long as we’re together, it’s a date!”

“God, you’re so cute.” Pearl climbed off the couch and walked over to her girlfriend. She gestured for Marina to bend down a bit. When Marina complied, she pressed a quick kiss to her lips. 

“Since we’re up so late, how about we catch one of those crappy movies that airs at this time?” Marina suggested. “I think I saw in the tv guide last night that they’re airing Inkling Murder Party 3 on IBN!”

“You know exactly how to appeal to my tastes!” Pearl wrapped her arms around her lover. “Let’s do it!”

\--

Pearl and Marina waltzed up to the dock, gazing out at the sea and hoping to sight the boat that was supposed to be picking them up. Callie ran up behind them, out of breath.

“You guys walk so fast,” Callie said.

“Maybe you should start watching the marshmallows.” Pearl stuck her tongue out at Callie.

“Pearlie, don’t be like that. Some people don’t have your energy.” Marina giggled. 

“Hey, you called me up last second! I had to run like twenty miles because my car’s in for repairs!” Callie exclaimed. She drank from a bottle of water she was holding and sighed.

A boat pulled up. It was a small vessel, captained by just one Octoling. He wore a noticeable diamond encrusted gold watch on his right hand that shined in the daylight. He waved at the girls and smiled brightly.

“Hey there! Are you the ones going out for a Salmon Run?” He asked politely. 

“Yes, we are.” Marina responded.

“This ship is a lot smaller than the usual Salmon Run boat.” Callie observed the vessel closely. The side of the boat was emblazoned with the name “S.S. Littleneck.”

“Littleneck? Is this...a clam fishing boat?” Pearl snickered.

“Why yes, actually!” The captain nodded. “All of the Grizzco vessels are completely booked up, so Mr. Grizz hired me to come out and pick y’all up.”

“What’s your name?” Marina asked happily.

“Oh, I’m Benchley,” He answered excitedly. “It’s wonderful to meet you! Welcome aboard!”

The three climbed onto the boat and sat down. The sea was nearly still today, so the boat rocked only slightly. Pearl stared at a pile of nets lying on the floor. The air around the ship smelled heavily of clams. She pinched her nose and made a look of disgust.

“Pearlie, cut it out,” Marina whispered. 

“But it fucking stinks.” She responded.

“He’s being courteous enough to take time out of his day to give us a ride. Just deal with it.” 

“But-”

“No buts.” Marina pointed a finger in Pearl’s face.

“Wow, even on a fishing boat Pearl still acts like a spoiled little princess,” Callie snarked.

“Shut up!” Pearl balled one of her hands into a fist and waved it at Callie.

“Alright, let’s get on our way!” Benchley exclaimed. He pulled the boat away from the dock and set course for their destination.

“Hope this trip is a quick one.” Pearl admitted. She hoped to be home early enough to bring Marina somewhere nice for dinner.

“Don’t worry, I bet it’ll be over soon enough.” Marina laughed and put an arm around Pearl.

“Oh yeah, totally!” Callie agreed.

“Both of you better really help me out there.” Pearl smiled.


	3. Nausea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the feast begin.

It was an odd stage that caught the girls’ eyes. Standing out in the middle of the ocean was a wide, flat platform, dotted with small huts and what seemed to be a few food stands. However, there was nobody there. The structures were not inhabited, despite looking well kept. Considering how Grizz had described the place, Pearl had expected Salmonids to be all over the place. Maybe once night rolled around they’d all come out?

A tall man in a dark blue poncho that concealed his face stood at the edge of the platform, staring out at the boot. He raised an arm and waved to them excitedly. Benchley waved back happily and pulled the boat up to the platform. The man waltzed over and helped tie the boat down.

“Um...who are you?” Pearl asked the man shyly as she climbed out of the boat. “Are you Harnell?”

The man stood up to face her, pulling the hood of the poncho back to reveal a gas mask. Height wise, the man was twice as tall as Marina. He utterly towered over Pearl. He was clad in the standard issue GrizzCo fishing gear set. He let out a soft chuckle.

“Aye, my name is Harnell. The folks around here call me...Chef Harley,” He responded. His voice was deep and gentle, though somewhat grainy. He had a slight drawl, giving his voice a loving-grandparent sort of quality. “You the ones that Grizz sent along?”

“Yeah, he said we were coming out here for some sort of special Salmon Run.” Marina followed Pearl out of the boat, dusting herself off. “It’s very nice to meet you, Harnell!”

“Your trip here must have been so tirin’, my darlins’,” Harnell remarked. “I imagine y’all must be mighty tired. I can make up some beds for y’all if you’re willing to stay the night.”

“Where would we stay?” Callie asked. She hauled the large case for her roller out of the boat.

“Well I’ve got me a special place. Somewhere nice and quiet. Private too.” Harnell gestured to what looked like a trapdoor. “During the day, I live in my nice little shack here. The Salmonids leave me alone. They’re very polite.”

“Polite?” Pearl scratched her head. “I’ve never heard anyone call a Salmonid polite before.”

“You’ve just never met the right people, my dear.” He chuckled. “Those Salmonids, they really know how to cook up a meal.”

“What kind of things do they cook?” Callie asked.

“Oh, you’ll find out.” Harnell made a thumbs up gesture. “Let me tell you, it’s scrumptious. Their calamari is to die for.”

“Calamari, huh?” Marina rubbed her stomach excitedly and licked her lips. “Sounds good!”

“It’ll just make y’all scream. That’s how good it is.” Harnell opened up the trapdoor. “Now if you wouldn’t mind, how about you get in here?”

Pearl walked up to the trapdoor and looked down into it. There was a flight of stairs leading down into darkness. Pearl did not feel very confident about this. But she was pretty tired. 

“So what do we do down there?” Pearl asked. “Just until the beds are ready, I mean?”

“Oh, I’ll whip up a quick snack in the kitchen.” Harnell patted Pearl on the back.

“You seem like a sweetie, if it’s not rude to say.” Marina giggled.

“Why thank you, ma’am.” Harnell gestured as if tipping a hat. “You are very kind yourself. I sure hope nothing bad befalls you.” He chuckled.

The three girls walked down the stairs. The stairs creaked loudly and it felt as if the wood would break at any moment. At the bottom of the stairs was what looked like a living room, though it was barren. Just one sofa and an old bunny ears television set on a rotting wooden stand. It smelled like...rotting fish was the best way to describe it. Pearl felt the need to pinch her nose again, but she knew if she did Marina would be on her ass.

“Oh, what a nice place!” Callie exclaimed, lying through her teeth. 

“Oh wow, this place smells like my old barracks,” Marina said happily. “And the carpet reminds me of my grandpa’s house!”

“Yeah, looks as old as your grandpa too,” Pearl snarked. 

“My grandpa isn’t that old.” Marina frowned.

“Why don’t you ladies take a seat?” Harnell came down the stairs. “I’ll go get your nice little rooms ready. But before you head to rest, I’ll also be making something special for y’all. All of my ingredients are freshly caught, so it’ll be a treat.”

“Okay!” Marina nodded. Pearl and Callie kept silent, somewhat unnerved. The three of them sat down on the sofa, which let out a meaty smell when they pressed down onto it.

“God, what the fuck is up with this place?!” Pearl yelled, hopping off the sofa in disgust. “It smells and the goddamn couch reeks too!”

“Well, we are out in the middle of the ocean. I don’t imagine cleaning supplies are easy to come by,” Callie responded. “Maybe he’s just doing his best.”

“There is clearly something wrong with this dude!” Pearl stated. “Who the fuck lives alone on a Salmon Run stage in the middle of the fucking ocean?!” 

“Well it’s not our job to judge other people’s lifestyles,” Marina remarked.

“She’s right you know,” Callie agreed.

“I don’t care what his fucking lifestyle is! I just know I want to get the hell out of here!” Pearl climbed back up the stairs, but found the door was shut. A padlock was placed on the door, locking it up tight. “...The fucker locked the door.” Pearl swore in that moment she heard a faint laugh come from the other side. It sounded...almost sadistic. She sighed and climbed back down the stairs. Pearl went back to sit on the sofa despite the stench.

Time passed. It felt like hours. Pearl was desperate to leave. This place terrified her. It instilled a pure primal fear in her. Something was wrong with Harnell, she knew it.

“Soup’s on, ladies!” Harnell exclaimed. Pearl looked to see Harnell holding a tray that had three bowls on it. “I’ve made a nice stew of fried octopus.”

“Oh, fried octopus! My favorite!” Callie stood up from the sofa and happily took a bowl. Marina followed suit. Pearl reluctantly took a bowl as well.

The three of them sat there for a moment eating the stew. It tasted amazing, Pearl thought. The flavors were perfectly balanced. The meat was tender and tasted fresh as could be. The broth was stunning, not too salty but extremely savory. Pearl took another bite, but her teeth bit down on something hard.

“...What’s this?” She looked down at her spoon, and noticed a watch sitting on it. The watch was made of gold, and diamonds lining it. Pearl’s eyes widened. She violently threw her bowl to the floor, spilling its contents out onto the carpet. She felt bile suddenly rise up into her throat. She vomited right then and there. Were they...were they eating Benchley?

“Pearlie, what’s wrong?” Marina asked, looking at Pearl with a concerned look on her face. She placed her bowl down and wrapped her arms around the short Inkling. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not fucking okay!” Pearl pushed Marina away and held up the watch. “T-This is Benchley’s watch! We’re eating our...we’re eating our fucking ride.” Tears were forming in Pearl’s eyes. “I-I don’t...I don’t want…to be a cannibal.”

“We-we’re what?” Callie stared down at her meal, fear in her eyes.

“Pearlie, maybe he just helped Harnell with the cooking and dropped his watch in. Don’t jump to conclu-” Marina was cut off by Harnell letting out a loud sigh.

“I’m afraid she’s right.” Harnell walked up to Callie and gently patted her on the head. “I’ve served up that lil’ ol’ captain of yours.”

Harnell removed his gas mask. Underneath was a disturbing, scarred visage. He was a Salmonling, his head resembling that of a Chum. His skin was pure white. He had only one dark red eye, the other an empty socket with a layer of skin grown over it. His mouth hung open, revealing teeth that were long and yellow. The scars covering his face were akin to claw marks, about the right size for an Octoling’s. A large chunk was missing from his tongue. He clutched Callie by the head and lifted her up.

“I’m sorry to do this to y’all. I really do like you, but this is for my family.” Harnell sighed. He slid a whistle out of his pocket and blew into it. “It’s time, my boys!” Harnell yelled.

Suddenly a horde of Salmonids, mainly Chums and Smallfries, smashed through the door. They flooded the living room, taking hold of the girls and beginning to beat them with their frying pans. Pearl felt an impact against her head, and suddenly everything went dark.


	4. Calamari di Callie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harnell prepares his brand new dish: Calamari di Callie.

Pearl’s eyes opened to a sea of darkness. She could feel something binding her wrists together, putting a painful pressure on them. Her feet weren’t touching the ground. She was hanging from something, she thought. When she took a breath, her throat stung from the cold air. The sound of a metal door sliding open and scraping against the floor greeted her ears. She could hear heavy breathing as footsteps made their way towards her.

“Hey fuckface!” A high-pitched, grainy voice exclaimed. A blindfold was torn from her face, opening her eyes to a Salmonling staring her in the eye. He looked about Pearl’s age, but was slightly taller than Marina. His eyes were full of sadistic glee. He wore a bloodied chef’s hat on his head, complimenting an ankle-length white double-breasted jacket and a stained apron. With a quick lick of his lips, he chuckled and leaned forward, pressing his tongue against Pearl’s cheek for a moment. He pulled back and smacked his lips. “A bit bitter, but Inkling skin isn’t usually very appetizing. You’re pretty tasty by normal standards in that category though.”

Pearl stared at him in silence, her body trembling. She glanced to her side, seeing Marina and Callie hanging alongside her. They were still unconscious, eyes blindfolded. The room around them was filled with frozen hunks of meat hanging on hooks, and huge boxes labeled with catering company logos. This was a freezer. Pearl’s eyes widened as she remembered the stew she and her friends had been tricked into consuming. Were...were they going to end up as food too?

Pearl attempted to force words out, “Why are you-” 

“Hold that thought, little lady!” The Salmonling cut her off. “I’m not done with my examination yet. I have to sample the product first and ensure you’re going to be an ideal food item.” He slid a small paring knife out from his pocket and pointed it at Pearl, a smile creeping across his face. “Can’t give my family any low grade meat.”

He placed a hand on one of Pearl’s cheeks, gripping her face tightly. With the other hand, he pressed the paring knife against her other cheek. He gently rocked the blade back and forth, allowing it to sink into Pearl’s flesh. She let out a loud yelp and struggled in her bindings, but the Salmonling did not pull away. He continued his cutting motion until a fine strip of flesh came free, dangling from a thin piece of skin. He placed the knife back into his pocket and forcefully tore the meat away. Without hesitation he devoured the flesh, chewing it for what felt like hours in front of her. He was clearly attempting to savour it; to analyze the flavor. He swallowed and let out a laugh.

“Hoowee, that’s a mighty fine cut right there. You must be one of them fancy types, considering your flavor is pretty...rich.” He snickered.

“W-why the fuck would you...do thi-”

“Let me introduce myself,” He interrupted once more. “My name is Tshawytscha. You can just call me Shaw though. Your kind ain’t smart enough to remember my name anyways. Salmonid names too hard for y’all? It seems so. Can’t even say the name Keta without screwing up the pronunciation. It’s Keh-tah, not Key-tah.”

“...What are you talking about?” Pearl squeaked out. “Y-you just…c-c-cut off part of my f-fucking face!”

“Correction, I did not cut off part of your face. I simply removed a chunk of meat from your cheek. If I were to have removed part of your face, I would have gone with something like...your eyes or your mouth. Fat cheeks like yours are just another cut of meat. The face is what you look pretty with. Those right there are just sacks of feed. If I had removed your face though, it would have been quite an improvement, ugly bitch you are.”

Pearl had never felt so afraid. Even when she’d taken part in the battle against Commander Tartar, she stood tall and kept a brave face. But this demented creature that resembled a Salmonid took all the fight out of her. This thing that stood before her hungered for misery. This thing hungered for the flesh of the innocent. This thing desired nothing but to partake in sadistic pleasure. 

“I’m so sad it’s not your turn today,” Shaw faked a frown. “I wanted to savor more than just a sample. Uncle Harley and I have special plans for you though.”

“My turn?” Pearl asked, extremely mortified. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well today’s dish is supposed to be calamari,” Shaw gestured over to Callie. “It’s gonna be a chore pulling off the tentacles though. Then we’ll have to de-beak. Harley is mixin’ up the batter. It’s going to be absolutely tantalizing.”

“You...you can’t do that!” Pearl yelled. She turned her head to the others. “Guys, wake up! Please!”

“Oh that’s not going to work. We’ve pumped those two full of drugs. Won’t wake up.” He grinned and giggled. “We ran out before we got to you. It’s a shame. That means we have to hear your filthy mouth.” He turned his head to the door. “Alright boys, move her out of here!” 

A small group of Chums rushed into the room and pulled the unconscious Callie down, removing her bindings. They dragged her out of the freezer, eagerly giggling as they carried her off. 

“Don’t do this! You’re all monsters!” Pearl screamed. 

Shaw placed a hand on one of her cheeks and smiled. He slid a packet of salt from his pocket and tore it open with his teeth. With a flick of his wrist, he sprinkled salt into her wound. 

“Gah, fuck!” Pearl shrieked in pain. It burned so badly. “You’re fucked, you hear me?! Fucked!”

“It’s like rubbing salt in an open wound,” Shaw stated. “You know, the metaphor for adding insult to injury? Well I just added extra injury to injury, so the phrase doesn’t really make sense if you think about it.” He guffawed, clearly entertaining himself. 

Pearl went silent once more. She didn’t want to dignify him with a response. She had to place her energy into trying to get herself free. She was holding back her pain. This man did not deserve her misery. There was no way in hell she’d let him have it.

“Bye bye,” Shaw said in a singsong manner. He left the room and slammed the freezer door behind him, the lock clicking loudly.

\--

Callie was laid onto a clean metal table. Harnell and Shaw stood over her. They were about to begin the process of readying the subject for preparation. The first part of the process was to remove Callie’s tentacles, which would be messy, though thankfully quick.

“Would you mind handing me the knife, bud?” Harnell asked. Shaw nodded and handed over a rather large knife. It was one specially made for the purpose of de-tentacling Inklings and Octolings. “Did you sharpen this lately?”

“Oh uh, I just sharpened it yesterday.” Shaw nodded. “You’re good.”

“She’s properly drugged, right?” Harnell’s voice was filled with concern. “We really don’t want her waking up in the middle of this. She’s suffered enough.”

“Yes, we pumped her full of them!” Shaw exclaimed. “She’s out like a light.”

“Alright.” Harnell patted Shaw on the head. 

The incision was quick. The knife slid in just beneath the base of her tentacles, just above the forehead. It was slow and laborious cutting through the tendons keeping the tentacles attached to the body. Harnell really had to exert a lot of strength to slice through the fibrous tissue. The following removal was not as hard, just a simple peeling away of the remaining matter, with a slight incision here and there. Harnell handed the tentacles to Shaw, who placed them into a small plastic tub beside the table.

“Okay, we’re done with that part of the process. We need to move on to the de-beaking. Do you have the pliers?” Harnell held a hand out to accept the tool.

Shaw gulped, “I uh...forgot them. I can go get them if you need-”

“No, it’s fine,” Harnell interrupted. “We need to get this done quick. I’ll just use my hands. Just hold her mouth open for me, will you?”

“Y-yes, sir!” Shaw nodded. He reached for a pair of prongs to his side. He pressed them to the corners of Callie’s lips, holding her mouth agape. “Is that good, Harley?”

“That works,” The chef huffed.

Harnell took hold of the top half of Callie’s beak, making sure he had a tight grip. He took a deep breath and began to pull forcefully. It didn’t budge much at first, though after a few sessions of pulling, the gums’ hold on the beak gave way. The top half of the beak was loose and starting to slip out. Short, thin strips of flesh tethered it to the gums. Harnell sighed and brought his knife close, cutting away the connecting tissue. The bloodied chitin was freed and quickly tossed aside into a garbage bin. The wound was cauterized with a quick once over from a nearby blowtorch. Harnell repeated the process on the bottom half of the beak. Once this was done, he removed the prongs and closed her mouth.

“Okay, de-beaked.” Harnell cracked his knuckles and looked Callie over. “I’ll prep her body for the oven. Shaw, you cut up the tentacles and get them all battered up.”

“Of course!”

\--

Pearl was stirred by a pleasant, familiar scent. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but whatever it was made her mouth water. She felt a harsh rumble in her stomach. Of all the times to be hungry, why now? The door to the freezer slowly opened up. Standing in the doorway was Shaw, holding a large plate. 

“Got you some breakfast, m’lady!” The Salmonling announced, waltzing into the freezer. He held the plate up to Pearl’s face. A large slab of meat took up one half of the plate, while a heaping portion of calamari took up the other. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Pearl stared at the plate, fear in her eyes. Was that...what they’d done with Callie? To her regret, drool escaped her mouth at the sight of the food. She was feeling so hungry. She couldn’t though. That would be wrong.

“Say ‘ah.’ “ Shaw commanded, picking up one of the rings of calamari. Pearl was silent in response, but as if losing control of her body, her mouth opened wide. “Good girl.”

He pushed the squid ring into Pearl’s awaiting mouth, watching excitedly as she closed her mouth and began to chew. Pearl felt disgusted as the succulent flavor filled her mouth. There was this intense rush of satisfaction through her body with every passing second. She swallowed the morsel and took a deep breath.

“Was it good?” Shaw asked, smiling at her. “Nothing beats Harley’s dishes.”

Pearl did not respond. She simply stared down at the floor in disgust at herself. She had done nothing to resist. She couldn’t have been that hungry, could she? Hungry enough to gladly accept her own friend’s flesh? She could never sink so low, she thought. But this situation has quite clearly proven her wrong.

“Want anything else?” The Salmonling pushed the plate closer, the delicate aroma more powerful than ever. “It’s all on the house.”

Pearl shook her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She just wanted this to be over. This had to be some grotesque nightmare! She’d wake up any moment now. She’d be back in bed with Marina, and Callie would be just fine. Any time now. She just had to be patient.

“Alright, suit yourself.” Shaw shrugged. He walked out of the freezer and slammed the door shut behind him. As the loud locking mechanism sounded, the lights went off.

Nobody could see Pearl cry in the darkness.


End file.
